


Love Don’t Need No Trinkets

by Unicornsfartglitter



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, No self harm actually performed, Self Harm, Slow Build, non descriptive, prison era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 14:16:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16042157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unicornsfartglitter/pseuds/Unicornsfartglitter
Summary: Shane keeps coming to Daryl when he’s at his lowest but he can’t imagine where that will lead.





	Love Don’t Need No Trinkets

**Author's Note:**

> This is crap compared to most of my fics but I needed some Shane/Daryl love.
> 
> *self harm not actually performed.

Daryl heard the crickets chirping between the sound of walker moans. He rubbed at the small cuts on his wrist and looked out. Stupid. That’s what he was thinking he could have Merle again. He thought not knowing what happened to his brother was hard, what was harder was knowing, giving his brother his final death.

Closing his eyes he tried to find peace but found the vision of Merle's gray skin and dull eyes instead. He opened them, maybe one more cut would make him feel something else other than this sinking pit of despair.

Someone climbing up the watchtower ladder had him hiding his knife, used to punish himself and nothing else. It was shiny and new, often disinfected. Another one was used for walkers.

Turning around he waited for Rick, for his stupid speech and typical “I got you.” motto.

“What do you want?” He spat.

“Well hello to you too.” Shane smirked.

Daryl was pushed back from the opening as Shane stared out. He pulled out a cigar and cut it taking his time lightning it before taking his first inhale.

“Been a week right?”

Everyone had moved on, most were relieved. Daryl knew what he was asking but chose to ignore him instead. Another cigar was cut, he watched in a trance if only to figure out what the asshole was doing here.

He jumped when the cigar was handed to him.

“I hated Merle. Racist, ignorant bastard was what he was. But he was your brother.”

Taking the cigar he smoked it quietly.

“It never gets easier. I still miss Lori everyday.”

“Yeah? Miss the girl or the coochie? Maybe you miss taking a stab at Rick.”

Good, Shane would leave.

Shane laughed instead. “Think I’m gonna run off and cry? I loved her Daryl, you don’t have to believe it. Nobody does, doesn’t mean it’s not true. Just like your brother. Nobody here may miss him but the hurt you feel is still true.”

There was no response that would suffice. Merle was a bitch, Lori was bitch. Life was a bitch and then you died.

He went to speak, not sure of the words but when he turned Shane was already leaving. The only remnants a half box of cigars and a lighter, scribbled writing telling him to enjoy it. He crumpled up the note and went to put it in the trash but somehow it ended up in his pocket instead.  
\--------------------------------------  
It was cold as fuck, everyone was paired up. Even Axel was huddled up with Carol. It didn’t bother him having no one but he was still cold. Standing up he did a few jumping jacks and that didn’t help so he huddled in and tried to believe his thin blanket would be enough.

Two hours later of trembling he heard the clank of the prison ward opening and shutting. It bothered no one but to Daryl even if he wasn’t freezing his ass off it would have woken him up. Counting sheep in his head he pressed against the wall and groaned, now his back was freezing.

Shit, he knew those boots anywhere. They stopped at his open cell, the one he couldn’t sleep in closed.

“I know you’re awake dumbass.”

A pillow was thrown at his head. Daryl clenched his eyes shut when Shane sat down.

“It’s too cold.”

It was Shane's only explanation and then a thicket blanket was thrown over Daryl. Shane untied his shoes and put on another pair of socks before crawling into the too small bunk. It wasn’t hard to control his breathing, feign sleep but when an ice cold hand touched his arm he hollered.

“Shut up!” Shane hissed in a whisper. “Just proving you were awake dumbass.”

The bed creaked and that’s how Daryl found himself in a bed with Shane. It wasn’t intimate, the man was turned around away from him but he found himself not sleeping. Hours later when a sleeping Shane turned and held him close he waved his hands in front of Shane’s face. When he didn’t stir and he was convinced Shane had done it in his sleep he wiggled down a few inches and sighed out, closing his eyes to welcome sleep.

Only then did Shane grin and sleep deeper.  
\---------------------------------------  
Shane slept in, it was his right after keeping watch. He hurried to the kitchen after dressing and ate a sad bowl of cold oatmeal. The door yanked open revealing Daryl with a bucket of meat Shane was sure.

Daryl's eyes locked on his before looking down and walking over slower than usual. Shane eyed the bucket.

“Catch anything good?”

“The typical. Squirrels, one racoon, and a fox.”

“Love fox.” Shane swallowed down a lump of oatmeal.

“Hmm.”

Just like that Daryl had fled the room.  
\------------------------------------—  
“We should play truth or dare!” Beth stood up excitedly clapping her hands like a young school girl which Shane guessed she kinda was.

He felt Daryl stiffen beside him, try as he might to outrun Shane he was persistent and made sure to eat by him.

“Come on now, sounds lame.” Axel fussed. “I can think of something better.”

Axel’s eyes raked over Carol’s breasts and the crowd groaned knowing he was about to mention strip poker for the hundredth time.

“I think it’s a great idea.” Glenn added.

“Yeah sure you do. Who was your first crush, go lick this table. Sounds riveting.” Shane groaned.

Daryl darted up and ran out in record speed.

“Sounds fun.” Rick added and they all sat down in a circle.

Daryl looked down at his special knife, he hadn’t used it since the day Shane came up and gave him the cigars. The urge was dull but now he wanted to do it, maybe cut until he couldn’t feel again.

“It’s like high school with fucking zombies.”  
Scrambling to hide his knife he put in in his pocket.

“What’s wrong Daryl? Don’t wanna tell us about the first time you made moonshine? Don’t wanna kiss Beth when she dares you to?”

“Shut up!”

“Just saying she has a big crush on you,”

“She’s a youngin.”

“Whose seen a lot of shit, I think that makes her an adult.”

“You better keep it in your pants Walsh!” Daryl warned.

The chuckle was warm and loud, Daryl hated to admit he loved hearing it. 

“Me? I don't even like blonds. More into brunettes.”

Daryl flinched when a hand slid through a lock of his hair. 

“You spoke too easily.” Shane whispered ducking his head to see Daryl's eyes.

“Just stop.” Daryl’s voice was cracking in it’s beg. 

Shane’s hand fell to his side. “Shit Daryl I’m just messing with you. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“You never do Shane.” 

Daryl walked off, feeling Shane's fingers still ghosting in his hair. He was sick of his games.  
\----------------------------—————  
Monday came or what they deemed that day and death with it. He tried not to care but couldn't stop it. Zach was gone just like that. After promising himself not to care he still did. His death hurt just as much as if it was Rick or Beth, Shane.

He pulled out his box of cigars and lit one up in his cell, he read the note from Shane in slanted, sloppy handwriting. That night seemed so long ago that he hid his cigars and crawled into bed, He wore the same jeans that next day, could feel the crinking in his pocket, knew it was Shane's note and a pull from within yelled at him to reread it and when he did the note was straightened out and pulled in the box. There was Shane's bracelet too, just three twines of black leather twisted together, it was simple with a silver latch. Beth had made it. Daryl meant to give it back but somehow it ended up in the cigar box as well.

The glisten of want shined at him, the knife. Somehow he hadn’t cut in awhile but maybe if he did it now he would feel better, could actually cry.

The wall of his cell was knocked on and without turning he pushed his knife and Shane’s bracelet back in.

“What do ya want Walsh?”

He would know that walk anywhere.

“Their doing a memorial.”

The children would make a chain of flowers, his friends would tell some funny stories and the big boulder out front would be painted with another name, it was filling up quickly. Daryl knew one day they would leave, the walkers would trample in or a new group would seek refuge and see this rock of death. To them it would mean nothing, it meant nothing now. Just like his ma burned up to ashes. A rock with nothing beneath was just a rock.

His bed cracked and he turned, Shane was chugging on some whiskey, one leg pulled up on the bed. The other lazily stretched out. Self consciously he looked down and saw Shane’s bulge forming through his jeans, looking up just as quickly he saw Shane smirk.

“Whiskeys just fine.”

There were so many options he could pick. Cursing or kicking Shane out but in the end the bed creaked under his weight as well and his took a chug of liquid amber trying his hardest to not fixate on the point that Shane’s lips had touched the botte and his did too now.

“Maintenance man.”

“What?’ Darl rasped drinking more whiskey, it was the expensive shit.

“You worked maintenance before. Probably some decent sized company.”

Daryl stilled and drank another sip and passed the bottle back.

“Zach wanted to be an IT guy. Like aren’t those dudes supposed to wear ties, mumble to themselves, and own a pair of eyeglasses?”

“Doesn’t matter, it wasn’t ever gonna happen.”

“Still matters.” Shane put his feet on Daryl’s bed and leaned against this wall pushing the bottle of whiskey between his legs.

“Admit it, you were maintenance, working hard repairing shit.”

Daryl leaned back too and grabbed the bottle not caring where it was lodged.

“Oh baby if you grabbed my junk every night I could go to bed happy.”

“Shut up.”

“I uh found this.” Shane handed him a knife, Zach’s knife.

“Beth.”

“Already has his necklace and handkerchief.”

Daryl used to pride himself on not being sentimental, he grabbed the knife, promised himself he wouldn’t use it to cut into his flesh because Zach deserved better..

“Think I’m gonna make some salted nuts tomorrow if you wanna help.”

Shane in a kitchen seemed ridiculous.

“I’ll pass.” Daryl twiddled with the knife.

“Why too good to handle my nuts?”

“Stop!”

Shane laughed when he nudged him, they drank a while and when he left Daryl laid in bed just a bit colder than before. Zach’s knife added to a cigarette box and a promise to make salted nuts with Shane tomorrow.

He didn’t cut himself that night and he smiled before sleep came, he would never admit to Shane he worked maintenance.  
\--------------------------------------  
The end of winter came, no new cuts upon Daryl's flesh. A few names added to the boulder. and more trinkets to Daryl’s box, mostly formerly owned by Shane.. 

Looking over the collection he picked up a pack of gum thinking it was ridiculous and wasteful to sit unused. Nonetheless it did along with a chicken keychain and a bullet. Shane had twiddled with the outlandish keychain for days when he left it behind. The bullet, just an ordinary one that slipped out of his hands.

“Lunch is ready.”

Daryl froze, he was too far from his box to close it, the bullet was held close to his chest.

The steps increased walking up to him and he grasped the bullet tighter and stared at the box. It was slow motion, he could feel his heartbeat rushing, Shane walking up like time slowed down.

Then he saw the back of Shane’s head and he closed his eyes, willed his heart to turn steady. Shane picked up his keychain inspecting it then put it down just to pick up his bracelet. The action sounded too loud in the room though it wasn’t. Shane had closed the box gently then ducked his head down to meet Daryl’s.

“Eating?”

Gulping Daryl just nodded, slipping the bullet into his pocket and following behind Shane like he did for every meal now.

They sat side by side and if their thighs merged closer than before then no one mentioned it especially two men who had grown so close.  
\------------------------------------  
The crickets chirped, Daryl pulled out his knife but not to cut himself, only to carve his name into the wood of the lookout post. One day someone would read it and it wouldn’t mean a thing.

Lighting his last cigar Daryl closed his eyes picturing the note he would read again tonight. The words entrained in his mind like a photograph but yet he still had to read it, touch it daily.

Boots climbed up a ladder and he turned around.

Shane looked him up head to toe and did it once more then he slid over a pack of cigarettes and some mini booze, fruity shit but it was thoughtful.

Dark pocketed it all, he was grateful but he wouldn’t say thanks.

Hearing crumpling he looked Shane’s way just to see him open a pouch of chewing tobacco, the scent was stale, the bag was old and empty, it was his favorite brand. He rarely chewed but about a year ago he went through a whole pack.

Shane emptied it pulling out a few items. A yellow rock, a string of thread, a quarter, and he huffed at a half spent cigarette.  
The rock was his, it was a beauty and he wondered where it went to. He actually missed it. The quarter was from when he and Shane played heads or tails about who would keep watch because they were both bone tired. Daryl lost just for Shane to take watch anyway. The cigarette was crazy, it surely come from his lips but could have been from any time in his life.

He touched the string and stared at Shane hard.

“You had a long ass string hanging from your favorite shirt.”

It came back to him now, Shane tearing the piece of thread off his shirt only a few weeks ago.

“I just wanted some pieces of you with me always.”

The rest of the explanation wasn’t needed because Daryl knew. He liked touching what Shane held in his palms but he also wanted to keep a part of him close just in case. You couldn't take a boulder or carved piece of shelter wood with you but trinkets meant more and you could hold them in your pocket when you ran from walkers and humans alike.

“It’s pretty fucking stupid isn’t it?”

Daryl looked up in question, words weren’t his thing and Shane didn't need them from him these days.

“Bad shit could go down tomorrow and all we would have is a few pieces of something. It’s not worthless but memories are better don’t you think?”

He could argue with that and when Shane came closer and threaded his hands through his hair he closed his eyes. Daryl didn’t watch those romance movies but when he was dipped back he just opened his mouth waiting to met Shane’s tongue.

They kissed like that until Daryl grunted at his sore back and Shane tipped him forward just to devour his mouth again. 

When they parted they panted for breath, Shane’s hand gripping his waist, the two stared at each other head on sharing a smile.

Daryl didn't need a bullet, a chicken keychain, or bracelet anymore, didn't even need his shiny brand new knife either. All he needed was Shane by his side.

The prison would fall, more would die but together they would take on the war, embracing each night like tomorrow wouldn’t come.


End file.
